Very cool.
Thanks
Thanks
Q for the Master Baiters
- Thread starter DBCooper
- Start date
Helium
Old Mossy Horns
We have 360 acres in VA that we average 1000# of corn(some protein pellets) every 3 weeks from January until Sept to hold deer and improve the herd.
We do this with 4 hand built free choice feeders strategically placed.
We also have about 6 mineral sites... most next to the feeders.
Last but not least we plant several small food plots year round
Huge improvement over the years.
Ps We do not feed during season because it’s illegal
Helium
Old Mossy Horns
bryguy
Old Mossy Horns
I have 3 feeding stations on my farm and do 4 mineral sites. I have around 176 acres and that number seems to be good for it. But I also have a good amount of land that we never set foot on to give the deer a sanctuary area
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Ambush
Twelve Pointer
Is that stand a feeder/stand combo? Pretty plot.
Ambush
Twelve Pointer
My best hunting spot until seven years ago, when my cousin’s new husband wanted no hunting, was a forty acre wooded track, that I only hunted the edge and rarely went inside. I basically kept it a sanctuary like you’re doing.
Yep......it never sours if you scatter it out......warm temps next week could sour it if you pile it up
Buffet Trout
Twelve Pointer
If it gets wet, then you are a master baiter
bowhuntingrook
Old Mossy Horns
Heck, nothing wrong with wet corn, I usually aim for rainy days to reduce scent. Once the deer get used to it in my area they eat 50-75lbs a night like right now. When you put corn out you need to take a lot into consideration, especially if bowhunting. Wind directions, trees for treestands and shot opportunites. To get the most out of it I put it near the middle of the property, in a thicker area not out in the open. Crows don't eat it, trespassers dont see it and deer feel more comfortable eating it in the day with the cover around. Then I hunt the transition areas they take to the corn. I can hunt any wind this way just depends where the deer are coming from and its easier to catch them in daylight. If a bigger buck is coming in daytime to the corn and I get the perfect wind I will hunt 25yards from it in a stand thats always there. I did that this year and got good video. One thing you will notice is that bucks can be picky. You could switch your corn pile east side to west side on that 100 acres and get different bucks visiting it. Right now there not as picky with the lack of other food.
ditchbank
Banned
Oats and cobbed corn.....the deer/coons/fox around me eat shelled corn so fast I can’t keep it out.
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Have you compared results of the Banks feeders with spin feeders? I hang my spin feeders high between two trees, but mature bucks still seem to shy away. I've had my best luck spreading it as thinly as possible on the ground, but the squirrels and coons eat more of it than the deer. I might give that Banks feeder a try if you're having good results with it. I saw their ad said it was coon proof, but I don't see how it could be. They didn't mention squirrels, but it looks like they could get to it easily. Can you tell from your cameras if you lose much to coons and squirrels? Which size feeder are you using, and how long does the corn usually last? Sorry for all the questions, but I would appreciate your input since you have experience with these feeders.
41magnum
Twelve Pointer
^^THIS, or it can mold on the bottom and they won't eat it...…..NEVER pile it, always spread it out
Ambush
Twelve Pointer
I’ve never used a spin feeder just because it doesn’t seem natural. During hunting season, I do like you and spread it across the ground. The bank’s feeders we use hold around 250lbs. Most of them last 7-10 days. Coons and squirrels do get their share, but majority is deer. I was just told of a trick to put pvc pipe around the post and grease with food grade grease to keep the coons & squirrels off. Don’t know how well it works. We have a non member coon hunter work on the coons every year after Jan 1. We also use covered troughs, but we think there’s less waste with the banks. We feed year round, so from the time bucks are 6 months old they are eating out of our feeders. Just makes sense to me, if they stay on club land until mature, they are trained that good nutrition comes from those things.
Thank you for sharing your insight!
30/06
Twelve Pointer
I tried a boss buck 600 lb gravity feeder this year on my KY lease. I can say no coon pics on it. Had several decent bucks using it, nothing huge but we really didn’t have much big on the farm this season. The bucks we had on other cameras did come to the feeder. There were so many acorns this season they didn’t use any of our feeders much.
That is saying a lot! I believe that would cut my corn usage in half, if not more. I'll have to look into that.
JONOV
Old Mossy Horns
We were told this year that our $1000 we spent on minerals was mostly wasted, besides getting nice photos all summer. We’re going to mix the minerals directly into our feed this year, adding soy oil to get more fat. We’ll know more next year. The deer farms are growing 300 B&C bucks with high power feed program. We’re hoping for an additional 15”. What we’ve been doing isn’t working to improve antlers very much. We had the oldest average buck age this year with several 4 1/2 and nothing scored over 120. Some parts of the state, like northern piedmont get what they need naturally. I’ve decided high protein kudzu plays are role, but no proof. Not much research on what works in the wild where something is lacking. With help from some deer fam growers, we’re doing our own in the field research. Could all be a waste, but we have a plan.
My theory, is that its the soils is less acidic there, and that plays into their nutrition. If you look, broadly speaking, areas that have a lower pH have are known for producing better-ish bucks. Of course, the further north its more incrementally cold and bigger body mass comes into play.
MoBucks
Old Mossy Horns
Spread it? Corn Mountain never molds or sours... as long as you’ve got enough Deer to eat it
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Ambush
Twelve Pointer
Good point. Would be interesting to check average PH levels on our coast, where a 110" buck is considered nice, compared to Eastern shore, where they kill B&C bucks. Both soils grow very high yield crops.
Ambush
Twelve Pointer
Yep, I put out 400lbs last month on one of our wooded farm paths. Within one week it was all gone.Spread it? Corn Mountain never molds or sours... as long as you’ve got enough Deer to eat it
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41magnum
Twelve Pointer
spreading out also allows more deer to be in the corn at the same time
plus
too many deer too close, swapping saliva, leads to CWD if I'm not mistaken...….which I could be.
plus
too many deer too close, swapping saliva, leads to CWD if I'm not mistaken...….which I could be.
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bowhuntingrook
Old Mossy Horns
Which is good and bad
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